HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – United States Attorney Booth Goodwin announced today that a Huntington couple was sentenced to federal prison for illegal firearm possession. Steven Ray Pauley, 32, of Huntington, was sentenced to two and a half years in prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm. Pauley previously pleaded guilty September 2012. On June 11, 2012, the defendant was observed outside of Coaches Inn Motel in West Huntington in possession of a firearm. Officers with the Huntington Police Department and the ATF approached the defendant and found a loaded .38 caliber revolver on the defendant’s waistband. Pauley was arrested.

Steven Pauley was convicted in July 2003 in the Circuit Court of Cabell County of felony first degree robbery and did not have his rights to possess a firearm restored.

In a related matter, Pauley’s wife and co-defendant, Molly Sue Pauley, 41, of Huntington, was sentenced to three years and two months in prison for aiding and abetting a felon in possession of a firearm. Molly Pauley previously pleaded guilty in September 2012. Ms. Pauley admitted that on June 11, 2012, she illegally possessed a .38 caliber firearm. Ms. Pauley further admitted that she met Steven Pauley in the 800 block of 25th Street in Huntington and gave him the firearm. Ms. Pauley admitted that she was aware that her husband was prohibited from possessing a firearm because of a prior felony conviction.

Ms. Pauley was also prohibited from possessing firearms because of her January 2001 conviction in the Circuit Court of Wayne County (W.Va.) for attempt to commit a felony. Ms. Pauley was also previously convicted of theft of property in the Circuit Court of Hamblen County, Tennessee in November 2005 and felony theft of property in the Circuit Court of Montgomery County, Alabama in July 2009.

The investigation was conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Huntington Police Department River Cities Gun Crimes Task Force. Assistant United States Attorney Joseph F. Adams handled the prosecutions. The sentences were imposed by United States District Chief Judge Robert C. Chambers.

The cases were brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods. Project Safe Neighborhoods is a nationwide commitment to reduce gun crime in the United States by networking existing local programs targeting gun crime.